Madison times. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1884-1???, 1887-01-08
n.a. b. ~ ~, Mis-. Sale. When I was

fer her TO do that.
sMy dearest child" she cried etfus;yely,
nyou must do YOUR best 10 make up for those
wasted years now Anything that we can do
my daughter aud myse.l-we Will co most
wilinglr."
Lady Caryl cut her raptures very short
ITO think" cried Mrs. Sac, that the last
of the Da res was living anon st US and We
did not know it"'
She made me many ov1rtures of friendship;
and her daughter who had never had civil
word for the friend.ess girl, was fawningl'
polite u tie beiress of Hcron's Nest; but
could not encourage their advances.
Lady Caryl, in talking to me about the tut
ure, said tlat she fanc.ed Sr Adrian would
purchase an estate in NUrfol D.. She expressed
great affection for me AMI said that IL the
idea met with my approval | should spend
next sea ON in town with he. / did not tell
her why the suggestion pleased me 50 much.
| knew that. ii | were in town with her,
should SEE her son almost every day.
Sir Adrian wr &c 10 me from Spain and tod
me that be had seen the church where my
mother and Gather were maIicd-thlt NE had
seen the marr!ag register and the marble
monument thai bore the name o. "lspla."
He added-and | kiss Il the written words
again and a-ain-tha he should b. bIcis at
Christmas, and hoped 10 spend it al HerOns
Nest
And Chr stmas came with pure mantle of
snow and a crown of green holly. Al that
had passed since the Chr ;;nas before would
have seemed like a dream ba' hat it was 50
L., I; l..
like the last, coli and clear nj beautiful,
with the stars shining nr gh,!y There
amongst them shoue til luminous star that
had lei me oIly last ar u the poStern gate.
Little med to ask wiither IFS light had / d me
now! / could IA ar the bells Ginning, as had
heard them years before, Christmas is come
Christina is Gomez Every word came SO
clearly to IN over the snow.
Heron's Nest that Chr stmas Eve 10 1ked
most p cturesque and had taken great pains
to make it SO. Mstletoe and holly hung in
profusiou on the walls of the grand old man
sion. Christmas was indie d come, bringing
with it love and peace. No harsh word dis
turb.d the harmony that reigned throughout
the house.
had resisted every effort that Lady Caryl
made to relinquish her position. / was de-
termined that, so long as she remained in the
house, she should be complete mistress Of it;
and, when she discovered that, she showed
her Apr citation BIZ increased Kindness to Inc.
We had both agreed that the old manor house
should look it, farest and best on Christmas
Eve. Every picture-frame, every pillar was
wreathed with holly AMI laurel. There was no
81 - -.
appearance of Heron's Nest Enthusiastically pro-
claimed IL.
Sir Adrian was to come that night just as
he had done on Christmas eve the year before,
through the starlight, over the snow. Oh,
happy Christmas that was to bring him to me !
l did not reflect whether his stay would be
long or short; I did not try to forsee any end
ing; all my thoughts were concentrated on the
fact that was to see him.
Lady Caryl had ordered my dress-pale rose
silk, trimmed with white tuIle-and wore
last year was a friendless tpendant-wCre
the Dacre diamonds, and at nv throat and in
my hair was fastened sprig of laurustinus.
May Heaven forgive me IL, as / looked in the
glass, felt thrill OF pride! l could not
help seeing then that was beautiful; and |
was glad.
The bells OF Heronsdale Church had not
ceased Ginning, and the moon was shining
white and high in the heavens. Feeling rest
less and impatient, 1 went TO one OF the win
dows Of the draw ng-room, whence l could e
the drive This was my hons now, and
must bid him welcome to it When at last
- \ 4. .4s.f
but FASTENED TO the hal door to be the first TO
greet him. aud remember no more until a
handsome face c,,ld with The fresh air, touched
mine, and the voice loved best OF earth
cried 'Gracia!' then babe him welcome
home. After that both of us must have for
gotten everything else in tie world but each
other, SIS W. stood on tn. tip of the great
fight OF steps of the w i, open hall door, the
rudy light streaming out upon the snow.
Presently he unci , bis arms, and, going
into tht lal he o. large fur coax
that was la ging l..re eel. wrapped It round
me.
"Come VITA &. ir,ci," he said. 81 have
sometn ng to q, yoI. and can say it no
where else but at n Cd posterIi- gate.
] went with him down the terrace-steps
across the lawn. and over to the postern-gate.
The ivy-mantlcd wall was covered with
sn W as it hal been a iwelvemonth before,
and the bri-bt Christmas star was shining
overhead ! eli hot tremDle; but feeling Of
awe came ovr me He had not spoken as we
walked along but, when we stood near the
ivy and The wind stirred the green leaves and
the snow fell. he caught me in his arms and
kissed me passioaately.
oh, Gracia" he cried, 'here, where the
light of the star first lei YOU to me, let me ask
you-w.ll you be nv wife"
! took courage, and looked up into his face
"What of Lady Aditha!' asked, blushing
deeply.
''Iady Adtha is going to marry the Duke
of Cortland" he laughed. ''She was very
fond Of me when / was a little boy; but, to
tell you the truth, Gracia, she ceased TO care
for me when she found that had lost Heron's
Nest"
''Dld you carel" asked falteringly.
''Not at all Why, Gracia, have always
loved you, and no one but YOU! On the light
/ first saw you-you, with your beautiful dark
eyes and sweet quaint name-I loved you.
loved you then, and l have loved you ever
since. win you be my wife, Gracial"
could not speak for very excess Of JOY.
Il shall never love any one else" he went
on. My love for you, Graeia, will never
change. WIN you be my wife.'
said "Yes;" and then l in my turn told
him how had loved him.
So we plighted our troth under the light Of
the stars, with the Christmas snow lying
white on the ground and the bells chming-a
troth that has never been broken, aud viii be
kept while life lasts.